Tow bar for automobiles



May 27, 1941.

c. A. KLElN ETAL 2,243,347

TOW BAR FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June 14, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 27, 194 1. c. A. KLEIN ETAL- TOW BAR FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June 14, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 flggigf I Patented May 27, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlC E 'row nan Fon Aq'roMonuE-s Cletus A. Klein and Boyd H. Russell, Caro, Mich. Application rune 14, 1939, Serial No. 279,025

1 Claim.

' ture by means of which the towed vehicle is held in direct alignment with the towing vehicle, and which is so organized and constructed that it compensates for variation caused by unevenness of roadways, turning movement of the towing vehicle, or contact of the vehicle wheels with raised obstacles or other irregularities.

Other objects and advantages will appear and be brought out more fully in the following explanation and by reference to the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views thereof.

In the drawings: a I

Fig. 1 is a side eievational view illustrating. the application of the invention for towing purposes.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the tow bar, the broken lines illustrating the swiveling action of the draw bar and the adjusta- Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line l--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is also a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, the letters B and .0 indicate a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle respectively, the towing vehicle being equipped with a rear brmper 6, and the towed vehicle having a similar front bumper I as usual.

The present invention contemplates the connection' of these bumpers 6 and I by means of a tow bar which includes a clamp member I having a lower jaw 9 formed integral therewith, an upper jaw III is pivotally attached to the clamp by means of the pin II, and a recess I2 is provided in each jaw directly adjacent the free end thereof to accommodate the edges of the bumper members.

A vertically disposed slotted opening I2 is provided in the upper jaw as shown, and a (Cl. sac-33.14)

threaded opening I4 is provided in the lower jaw, said opening being adapted to receive. the threaded end of the adjusting bolt l5, so that the jaws may be tightly clamped on the bumper, a disc shaped washer It being provided beneath the head of the bolt in the conventional manner, and a lock nut I1 is provided on the end of the bolt to prevent accidental disengagement or loosening of the clamp.

' The front wall-of the clamp member 8 is formed as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings,

a ball seat l8 being provided therein, and accommodates a ball member l9, which is formed integral with the draw bar 20, a cover plate 2| fitting over said ball, and studs 22 serve to secure the plate in position. This construction provides a universal movement suflicient to compensate for any angular relationship of one vehicle with respect to the other.

A substantially similar clamp 23 forms the front end ofthe structure, the lower end forming a jaw 24, and a slotted opening 25 is provided in the vertical portion of said clamp and for a purpose to. be presently described. The upper jaw 28 is pivotally secured to the clamp 23 by means of the pin 21, the jaws areshaped the same as the jaws at the opposite end and engage a bumper in exactly the same manner. No further explanation is deemed necessary as the application is made in exactly the same manner.

The front end of the tow bar is flatted as at 28. This flatted end extending into the slotted "opening 25, and a pin 29 forms a pivotal conthe vehicle is then ready for towing. No driver is required in the ream-or towed vehicle, and any tortional twist caused by one of the rear wheels of the towing car dropping into a rut, while the opposite front wheel of the towed car passes over a raised obstacle, will be taken care of by the universal connection of the draw bar to the rear clamp and the pivotal connection of the front end of the draw bar to the front clamp; in fact, the universal connection and the pivotal attachment provides for ample range of movement and angular adjustment.

It will be noted that in the descriptive matter,

we have referred to the device as having a rear end, but it will be understood that the device may be changed end for end, and will operate in exactly the same manner.

From the foregoing description, it will be clearly obvious that we have perfected a very simple, sturdy, and practical coupling by means of which the towed car is held in direct alignment with towing car, so that one car may be towed any distance and at any reasonable speedjover any 10 roadway on which a driven car may travel, and

without a driver in the rear or towed vehicle.

What we claim is: A device of the kind described, comprising a pivotal connection with the front clamp for pivotal movement in a'vertical direction only, the ends of the bar being connected at a point intermediate of the laws, fcr'eifecting draft strain from the bar centrally of said clamps in a horizontal direction and at anguiarity of the latter.

each clamp including a substantially L-shaped pair of clamps. each having opposed laws, 0. 15 thereof,

single tow bar connectingsaid clamps the rear end being provided with a ball for universal connection to the rear clamp, the front end having CLI'I.'UBA.KLEIN. i BOYDRRUBBELL. 

